Accusations

Ken Curtis, Ph.D.

Church History Timeline

WANTED: CHRISTIANS! Anyone having information
about those belonging to the dangerous superstition known as "Christianity"
is to report to the authorities without delay. This is an insidious movement
and must be stopped. Christians are charged with the following:

"Behold how they love one another." This was a hallmark of the early Christians.
Yet these same believers were the object of repeated persecutions and
oppression for almost the first 300 years. Why were the believers so hated
in the Roman Empire? What were they guilty of? What were the charges against
them?

Before you read any further, look at the "Wanted" poster that
we made up. Put a "Y" in front of those that you think the Christians
were actually accused of. Put an "N" in front of those you do
not think they were accused of. Put a check in front of the ones that
you think they were actually guilty of.

1. Cannibalism. The Roman world could not
understand the communion or Eucharist. They heard references to "partaking
of the Lord's body" and assumed there was cannibalism going on behind
closed doors. This accusation didn't last long, as the Christians were
able to show that it was bread and wine - not human flesh - they were
using.

2. Disruption of business. Guilty as charged.
In some places the growth of the church hurt the income of the pagan religions
by curtailing their sale of animals and sacrificial meat. (See also the
disruption caused in Acts 19:21ff.)

3. Gross immorality, including incest.
The believers called each other "brother" and "sister"
and professed love for one another. The pagans assumed this had to involve
lust and immorality. The exemplary lives of Christians eventually put
this accusation to rest.

4. Anti-family Behavior. There was an element
of truth in this charge. When one became a believer, he or she was welcomed
into the family of Christ. This new family became the Christian's deepest
commitment. The new faith also typically made believers better family
members than they had been before. But when a conflict came up between
their natural family and the family of Christ, their first loyalty was
to Christ.

5. Poverty. Christians were ridiculed by
the pagans because so many of their number were poor. Their god was not
all that good, the pagans figured, if he didn't care that they were poor.
And he wasn't all that great if he didn't do anything about it. The Christians
countered that there were advantages to "traveling light." Wealth
could become a snare, and, besides, they were rich in what counted most
in life. They somehow not only managed to find enough to get by, but were
even able to share with others in need out of their meager resources.

6. Atheism. The Roman world had a multitude
of gods and statues all around to represent them. Christians insisted
there was only one true God, invisible in the heavens, and they refused
to honor the Roman gods. Thus the Romans considered them atheists.

7. Novelty. The Roman world honored tradition
and the ancient religions were revered because they were old. Christianity
was accused of being a new upstart. Traditional Romans feared that converts
were merely seduced by the novelty of this new faith. Christians countered
that they were heirs of Judaism, an ancient faith the Romans recognized.
Besides that, the Christians claimed they were the most ancient faith
of all - they worshiped the God who existed before creation.

8. Lack of Patriotism. There was no distinction
between church and state in the Roman Empire. All civic festivals were
religious. It was expected that all would participate and thank the gods
for their blessings to the empire. Christians would not participate because
it would imply they were worshiping gods they denied. This would be idolatry.
Further, Christians would not join the army because they did not believe
in killing. So there was some validity to this charge, yet Christians
affirmed their loyalty to the state, prayed for the emperor, and lived
lives as exemplary citizens.

9. Anti-social behavior. This was related
to the charge above, since the Christians would not participate in the
civic festivals nor involve themselves in what they considered immoral
behavior. Many Romans resented their independence and their conviction
that they were "in the world but not of the world." So Christians
were often scorned and charged with anti-social behavior.

10. Causing Disasters. Because the Christians
would not honor the Roman religions and gods, when flood, famine, or disaster
came, it was assumed that the Christians were the cause. The gods were
sending punishment, many Romans figured, because of the Christians' atheism.
This charge played a large role in the notable persecution at Lyons in
177 under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Satirizing the prevailing view, the
church father Tertullian put it this way: "If the Tiber reaches the
walls, if the Nile does not rise to the fields, if the sky doesn't move
or the earth does, if there is famine, if there is plague, the cry is
at once: 'The Christians to the lion'."

Here are the answers for the quiz. Every item should have a
"Y", and none an "N." Numbers 2, 5, and 9 could
be said to be true in a sense and, therefore, could have a check
mark.

Yes, A real Threat
As you see, the Romans perceived the Christians as a threat. That
is why they had so many accusations. While many of the charges were
frivolous and false, the Romans were right in perceiving the threat.
Christianity did pose a mortal danger to many of the most deeply
held assumptions of the Roman world. In what ways does our present
society see the church as a threat? What are their charges against
us? Which are valid and which are not?